Draft dampening means for railway cars



Get. 22, 1968 D. L. BRUNT DRAFT DAMPENING MEANS FOR RAILWAY CARS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 18, 1966 w 2 3 4 a NW N m iw-----= g.

Arman/5% Oct. 22, 1968 D. L. BRUNT DRAFT DAMPENING MEANS FOR RAILWAY CARS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' Filed April 18, 1966 REF @N RN k ill I N VEN T OR. 04140 z. 3 04 United States Patent I 3,406,834 DRAFT DAMPENING MEANS FOR RAILWAY CARS David L. Brunt, Independence, M0. (725 S. Shore Road, Jacksonville, Fla. 32207) Filed Apr. 18, 1966, SenNo. 543,367

t 3- Claims. (Cl. 213-8) ABSTRACT or THE DISCLOSURE A draft connection device for use in combination with a conventional railway car comprising a pair of elongate piston rod structures each having a length corresponding to the length of the' railway car and mounted on the central support beam of the railway car A general object of this invention is a provision in a railway car of a cushioning type draft connection, of simple and inexpensive construction, and which is arranged and constructed to dampen and absorb fore and aft draft forces which occur during starting, stopping and during a change in speed of the railway car.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide a cushioning type draft connection for railway cars wherein the draft force is cushioned by pneumatic means, regardless of whether the draft force acts upon the draw bar located at the forward end of the railway car or that draw bar located at the rear end thereof.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a conventional railway car inviting the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view on an enlarged scale of a part of the railway car taken approximately along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view on an enlarged scale taken approximately along line 3-3 of FIG. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken approximately along line 4-4 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken approximately along line 5-5 of FIG. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken approximately along line 6-6 of FIG. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken approximately along line 7-7 of FIG. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings, more specifically to FIG. 1, it will be seen that a conventional railway car designated generally by the reference numeral 10 is there shown. The railway car 10 is of the boxcar type and includes a body 11 supported upon front and rear trucks 3,406,834 Patented Oct. 22, 1968 12, the latter being provided with conventionally constructed flange-d wheels 12a for travel upon railway tracks T.

Referring now of FIG. 2, it will be seen that the railway car 10 has an elongated longitudinally extending support beam 13 of generally rectangular cross-sectional configuration secured to the lower surface floor of the railway car body 11. A plurality of transversely extending beams 14 are provided and these transverse beams are also secured to the lower surface of the floor of the box car body. The longitudinal support beam 13 actually constitutes a primary support for the cushioning type draft device which comprises the present invention. This cushion type draft device is designated generally by the reference numeral 15, and only approximately one-half of this draft device is shown in FIG. 2. It is pointed out that the draft device is identical at the other end portion of the railway cars there shown. Thus, the draft device is longitudinally symmetrical with respect to the transverse center line plane of the box car body, and only one end portion of the draft device therefore need be described in detail. The draft device 15 includes a conventional coupler device 16 which projects exteriorly of the end wall of the box car and which is connected to a draw bar 17. It is pointed out that the coupler devices 16, located at the opposite ends of the railway car, are used in a conventional manner to couple to the next adjacent vehicle in a well known manner. The draw bar 17, associated with each coupler 16, is pivotally connected to a transverse plate 18, by a suitable pivot 17a so that the transverse bar 18 is movable with the draw bar 17 in a rectilinear direction while relative limited pivoting movement between draw bar 17 and plate 18 is also possible.

Referring now to FIG. 5, it will be seen that each end portion of the transverse bar 18 underlies and engages one of the pair of substantially identical elongate substantially tubular piston tubes 20, each piston tube being clamped to the transverse bar 18 by one of a pair of clamping elements 19. These clamping elements 19 may be secured to the transverse bar 18 by suitable bolts or the like, to permit disengagement of the transverse bar from the piston tubes 20. These piston tubes 20 are formed of substantially similar sections 21, which are interconnected together by coupling members 22. The endmost piston tube section 24 of piston tube 21, is of substantially shorter length than the other piston tube sections.

It will be seen that each of the piston tubes 20 p'roject through suitable bearing structures 25 which are secured to opposite sides of the longitudinal support beam 13. These bearing structures, as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 7, each includes a bearing block 26 which is secured by suitable rivets 27 to the longitudinal support beam 13, each bearing block having a cylindrical bore therethrough in which is positioned a bronze sleeve 28 and an inner bearing sleeve 29, the latter being interposed between the bronze sleeve 28 and the exterior surface of the associated piston tube 20. Suitable end plates 30 are provided for each bearing block structure, and are secured to the associated bearing block by any conventional securing means such as bolts or the like. The inner bearing sleeve 29 i: preferably formed of babbitt bearing metal, and it will be seen that the pair of piston tubes 21 are mounted for common movement relative to the body of the railwa; car.

Referring again to FIG. 2, it will be seen that the middl portion of each of the piston rod tubes 21, is externall threaded as at 31 and a nut 32 threadingly engages thi: threaded portion 31 and is adjustable longitudinally o; the associated piston tube. Each piston tube 21 also ha:

one end of the spring 34 engaging the collar 33, and

the otherend thereof engaging one ofthe bearing structures 25. It will be seen, that inward movement of the piston tubes 21 or movement towards the left, as viewed in FIG. 2, is resisted by the-springs 34. As pointed out above, the piston tubes 21 each runs substantially the full length of the box car, and each piston tube 21 will therefore be provided with another pair of springs 34 (not shown) which bear against the other surface of those bearing structures illustrated at the left of FIG. 2. Thus, the draw bar 17 which is located at the other end of the railway car will be resisted in a similar movement by the other pair of springs 34. Therefore, the two pairs of springs 34 tend to produce a centering action of the piston tubes 21.

Referring now to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, it will be seen that a pair of cylinders 35 are positioned adjacentthe end of the railway car and are disposed on opposite sides of the support beam 13 and are secured thereto by upper attachment brackets or straps 36 and lower attachment brackets 3.7, The interior 38 of each cylinder 35 defines a compression chamber and it will be seen that the rear end portion of each cylinder 35 has an inner annular plate 39, an intermediate annular plate, and an outer annular plate secured thereto by suitable bolt means, the inner surface of these plates engaging the exterior surface of the endmost piston tube section 24 as best seen in FIG. 4. One end portion of the cylinder 38 is closed by closure plug 42 and the end portion of the associated piston tube section 24 is movable in the associated cylinder 35.

This terminal or end portion of the end piston tube section 24 actually defines a piston, and it will be noted that the exterior surface of the piston tube 24 corresponds substantially to the interior surface of the cylinder 35, so that a close tolerance working fit is etfected between the piston tube section and the associated cylinder 35. The outer free end of each piston tube section 34 is internally threaded as at 43 and each piston tube section 24 is provided with an exteriorly threaded generally cylindrical shaped closure plug 44 which engages the internal threads 43 thereof.

The plug 44 has an aperture 45 therethrough, and an elongate bolt 46 having a head 47 at one end thereof projects through the aperture 45, the threaded end of the bolt 46 being engagd by a nut which is restrained against disengagement therefrom by a cotter pin which extends through a diametrically extending opening in the threaded end of the bolt 46. A shallow cup member 47 formed of a yieldable material, such as neoprene or the like, engages the end of the associated piston tube section 24 and plug 45, and this yieldable cup 48 has a centrally located aperture therein through which the bolt 46 projects. An apertured clamping plate 49 formed of a suitable rigid material such as metal, and having a recess 50 in the central portion thereof, is positioned within the concavity of the yieldable cup 48 and is clamped thereagainst by the head 47 of the bolt 46. It will be noted, that the end edges of the flanges of the cup 48 are substantially coplanar with the free end surfaces of the generally circular end plate 49 whereby the plate serves to prevent inward deformation of the yieldable cup 48. To this end, it is pointed out that the circumferential surface of the cup 48 engage the interior surfaces of the cylinder 35 to form a seal thereat.

Referring again to FIG. 4, it will be noted that the end portion of each end piston tube section 24 has a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart annular grooves 51 formed therein, and each groove has positioned therein, a rigid annular element or compression ring 52, formed of a suitable metallic material such as cast iron, steel or the like, each element 52 en gaging the interior surface of the associated cylinder to form a seal thereat. The closure plug 44 has a radially extending outwardly opening threaded recess therein which is disposed in registering relation with a similar radially extending threaded recess in the associated piston tube section 24, and threaded lock element 53 engages these registering recesses for locking each closure plug against movement in itsassociated end piston tube section 24.

Each cylinder 35 has a radially extending threaded opening 54 therethrough which is disposed in registering relation with a radially extending threaded recess in the associated end closure plug 42. An elongate exteriorly threaded fitting 56 threadingly engages the opening and recess, and this fitting 56 has outturned annular flanges 57 which engage the exterior surface of the'associated cylinder 35. Opposite end portions of the fitting 56 have outwardly opening threaded recesses therein, one of said threaded recesses accommodating an exteriorly threaded fitting 58 having an outturned annular flange 59 which engages the flange 57 and the other threaded recess receiving a generally cylindrical shaped exteriorly threaded cup 60 therein. The fitting 58 has a threaded passage 61 therein, and the cup 60 has a hollow interior 62. The fitting 56 has a central passage 63 therethrough which intercommunicates the interior 62 of the cup 60, and the threaded passage 61 of the fitting 58.

It will be seen that a suitable sealing element is interposed between the internally projecting end of the fitting 58 and a shoulder formed interiorly of the fitting 56 to form an air seal thereat. An elongate tubular valve element or stem 64 projects through the passage 63 and the fitting 56 and this valve element has a valve head 65 at one endthereof. The valve head is movable into and out of engagement with a yieldable annular element 66 having a frusto-conical opening therethrough. A generally concavoconvex cup member 67 formed of a yieldable material such as neoprene or the like, is positioned within an enlarged portion of the passage 63 and engages a shoulder 68 defined by the enlarged portion of the passage 63. The cup member 67 has an opening therethrough and the valve stem 64 projects through the opening and is retained against disengagement therefrom by suitable collar, nut, and cotter pin, which engage the end of the valve stem. The cup member 67 is capable of flexing movement to permit movement of the valve head against its seated relation with respect to the sealing element 66.

The cup member 67 has an opening therein which is disposed in registering relation with an opening formed in the fitting 56, the latter also being disposed in registering relation with the passage 69 formed in the plug 42. It will therefore be seen thatthe passage 69 intercommunicates the interior 62 of the cup 60 with the interior or chamber38 of the associated cylinder 35.

A pair of longitudinally extending elongate accumulator tanks are fixed to the lower surface of the railway car body 11 and each accumulator tank is positioned adjacent one longitudinal edgeof the railway car body. Suitable attachment straps or brackets 71 secure the accumulator tanks 70 to a railway car and each accumulator tank is connected to the main air supply conduit 72 by suitable branch conduits 73. Thus air under pressure is supplied to the accumulator tanks 70.

The accumulator tanks 70 are also interconnected in communicating relation to eachother by conduits 74 to extends between and intercommunicates the pair of cylinders 35 located at each end of the railway car. The fittings of each of the interconnecting conduits 78 actually engage the threaded passages 61 in each fitting 58 so that the air pressure will be equalized within each of the pair of cylinders located at one end of the railway car.

During operation, the coupling devices 16 at both ends of the railway car will be suitably coupled to the next adjacent railway car, and the draw bar 17 associated therewith will be capable of longitudinal movement as well as slight pivotal movement relative to the railway car body 11, the pivotal movement being about the axis defined by the pivot pin 17a. If the draft force is exerted in the direction of movement of the railway car, as for example, if the railway car as illustrated in FIG. 2 was pulled to the right, the draw bar 17 would be shifted longitudinally in this direction relative to the railway car body. This movement of the draw bar 17 would also cause movement of the piston tubes 21 in this direction, thus compressing the air within the cylinders 35 located at the right end of the railway car. Thus, this draft force would be very effectively dampened and the centering springs 34 would tend to return the piston tubes to a centered position. The draft force acting in the opposite direction, which occurs when a train slows down or stops, would cause movement of the piston tube also in the opposite direction or to the left as viewed in FIG. 2. Although the cylinders associated with the other end of the railway car are not shown, it is quite apparent that air therein would be compressed during this movement so that a shock absorbing action would take place. The other pair of centering springs 34 (not shown) would tend to return the piston tubes to the original centered position.

In order to assure a smooth even cushioning action, it is desirable to equalize the pneumatic pressure in the respective pairs of cylinders located at each end of the railway car. The conduits 78 permits the air in one cylinder to be intercommunicated to the other cylinder by the action of the pressure responsive valve assembly shown in FIG. 3. The valve stem moves axially in its passage thus permitting disengagement of the valve head 65 from its seat and therefore permitting air to pass from one cylinder into the conduit 78. During this action, the cup 67 will deform slightly and the cylinders will be intercommunicated.

It is also pointed out that the interior of the end piston tube sections 24 of each piston tube 21 may be provided with a supply of oil and the end tube sections may have suitable port means which intercommunicate the interior of the piston rod section with the associated cylinder so that a constant lubricating action takes place therebetween.

From the foregoing paragraphs it will be seen that I have provided a novel draft connection device for use in conjunction with railway cars which very effectively dampens shock impulses exerted at either end of the railway car.

Thus, it will be seen that I have provided a draft connection device which is not only of simple and inexpensive construction but functions in a more efficient manner than any heretofore known comparable device.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of m invention.

I claim:

1. A draft connection device for use in combination with a conventional railway car having a longitudinal support beam fixedly connected to the floor of the railway car, said device comprising a pair of laterally spaced-apart substantially parallel elongate rigid piston rod structures, means for mounting said elongated piston rod structures on the support beam of the railway car for fore and aft axial movement relative thereto, said piston rod structures extending longitudinally of the railway car substantially throughout the major portion of the length of the railway car, and the support beam, means interconnecting said piston rod structures for common movement therebetween, two pairs of cylinders, each pair of cylinders being positioned adjacent one end of the railway car and being secured thereto, and disposed in laterally spacedapart substantially parallel relation, each of said cylinders being connected to a source of air under pressure and each cylinder at one end being disposed in axial alignment with a cylinder at the other end thereof, each of said aligned pairs of cylinders receiving opposite ends of one of the piston rod structures therein, means on each end of each of said piston rod structures defining a piston engaging the interior of one of said aligned pairs of cylinders with sealing effect, a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart draw bars each being mounted on adjacent end portions of said piston rods for movement therewith, a pair of coupling mechanisms each carried by one of said draw bar structures for releasable coupling to adjacent railway cars whereby an axial force exerted on either of said draw bars will shift said piston rod structures axially, the piston rod structures being cushioned by air pressure within one pair of said cylinders located at one end of the railway car and a pair of centering springs engaging each piston rod structure for urging each piston rod to a centered position when said piston rods are shifted axially.

2. The draft connection device as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said draw bars is pivotally mounted with respect to said piston rod structures for limited pivotal movement about a substantially vertical axis.

3. The draft connection device as defined in claim 1 wherein the pair of cylinders located at one end of the railway car are interconnected in fluid communication with respect to each other so that the air pressure therein is equalized.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,020,445 3/1912 Potter 2l38 1,027,323 5/1912 Dambino 2l38 1,997,170 4/ 1935 Egen 213--8 2,047,955 7/1936 Fitch 454 XR 3,220,561 11/1965 Blake L 2l38 3,221,898 12/1965 Pellm'tz 2l38 DRAYTON E. HOFFMAN, Primary Examiner. 

